A 74-year-old woman in Newcastle and a 79-year-old man on the Northern Beaches died. Both people had been passengers on the ill-fated Ruby Princess cruise.

It is unlikely any criminal charges will ever be laid over the Ruby Princess debacle and it is 'odd' New South Police are even investigating it, according to a  legal expert.

Chief medical officer Brendan Murphy joked 'you're very lucky Ruby Princess unloaded in Sydney rather than in New Zealand' and nervously laughed during a briefing to Kiwi politicians.

Two hospitals in Burnie, northwest Tasmania, were closed on Monday amid a cluster of more than 60 COVID-19 cases, including about 45 staff, associated with the facilities.

The organisation has called the situation "its greatest challenge" with the cash available for unions needing immediate funding.

The $250,000 vessel was intercepted by New South Wales Police in waters off Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney, at 4.30am on Saturday.

The female nurse, who did not want to be named, copped a ticket while driving a branded vehicle in her work uniform on Gordonton Rd in Hamilton, New Zealand, on Tuesday morning.

A crew member serving food to hundreds of passengers may have been responsible for the coronavirus outbreak on board the Ruby Princess cruise ship.  

EXCLUSIVE, MIKE BROWN TALKS TO JOE MARCHANT: The campaign between Sir Bill Beuamont and Agustin Pichot has turned into a battle between north and south.

New Zealand has recorded its most powerful earthquake of 2020 in a remote corner of the South Island.

The probe was launched earlier this month after Professor Brendan Murphy made the suggestion to a New Zealand parliamentary committee.

Leo Hamilton, two, was sitting on the floor next to his father's 6-year-old dog, Biggy, at his grandmother Port Levy home, southeast of Christchurch, when he was mauled 'out of the blue' around 8pm Tuesday.

WILL KELLEHER: While Beaumont was backed by all 18 of the Six Nations votes for a second term in charge, he was warned by those in the southern hemisphere that drastic alterations are needed.

Professional rugby and netball are close to returning to action in New Zealand after the government unveiled its rules for sport when the country next eases its coronavirus restrictions.

James watched from courtside as the Clippers scored 22 consecutive points during the second half of their 118-107 victory at STAPLES Center. The 33-year-old wore a blazer over a white hoodie.

Andre Drummond had 19 points and 23 rebounds, and the Pistons took advantage of James' absence, beating Los Angeles 111-97 on Friday night.

Griezmann celebrated his second goal by grabbing a handful of glitter from a steward and sprinkling it in the air. James is famed for doing the same thing with a handful of chalk after scoring in basketball.

LeBron James's effort to trademark the term 'Taco Tuesday' has been denied by the US Patent and Trademark Office, but a spokesman for the Los Angeles Lakers star says the ruling was welcome.

Luka Doncic scored 21 of his 27 points in a dynamic second half and Kristaps Porzingis added 15 points as the Dallas Mavericks snapped the LA Lakers' 10-game winning streak with a 114-100 victory.

James also had 25 points, nine assists and a crucial dunk off a miss late in the fourth quarter to clinch a match-up of the top two teams in the Western Conference.

Lizzo stole the show at the LA Lakers game when she exposed her booty and thong during dance and twerk exhibition ion Sunday.

The 32-year-old actor was on the receiving end of a chant by LeBron James, 34, on Wednesday before his Los Angeles Lakers took on their intra-city rivals the Clippers.

In the incident, Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was fatally shot by Travis McMichael as he jogged in Brunswick, Georgia February 23.

'I'm absolutely devastated and horrified by the senseless, cold blooded, racially motivated killing of Ahmaud Arbery,' the pop superstar, 30, tweeted, adding the hashtag  #JusticeForAhmaud.'

SoulCycle is loved by A-listers and has opened in London. Although spinning burns lots of calories physiotherapist Sarah Bentley said poor bike set up can cause knee and back pain.

The Vogue editor was asked to comment on First Lady Melania Trump's fashion choices during a recent U.K. visit in an interview for the Economist's podcast,

Obamas' legal team filed to cancel the trademark of the e-book publishing company, called Higher Ground Enterprises,  after the US trademark office rejected their application earlier this year.

The former first lady, 55, said she and the former president will wait to see who wins the Democratic nomination before offering support.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's reunion at the SAG Awards was the topic of conversation on Tuesday's edition of This Morning.

It's been over 25 years since the premiere of megahit series Friends, and the biggest star from the sitcom recently took a hilarious trip down memory lane - to the shock and delight of fans of the show.

Johnathan Walton, 45, met Mair Smyth in 2013 at a meeting at his L.A. apartment complex to discuss residents having their access to the pool revoked.

Other names linked include PSG defender Stanley N'Soki, FC Lorient forward Alexis Claude-Maurice and Napoli's Algerian midfielder Adam Ounas, according to French outlet Nice-Matin .

Emery opted against playing his star strike partnership of Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, dropping the Frenchman for new boy Nicolas Pepe.

A hilarious video has emerged of a pitchside correspondent reporting on a Russian Premier League game despite being drenched by a sprinkler. 

The 18-year-old cousin of former Reds captain Steven Gerrard has been subject to interest from Danish side Nordsjaelland and, most recently, Serie A club Fiorentina.

Joe Schmidt's Irish team were hammered 57-15 by England at Twickenham last Saturday, in what was a record defeat in that fixture and O'Driscoll is concerned their confidence could suffer.

Tottenham may have reached their first ever Champions League final at the end of last season but things certainly aren't all that rosy back home for Mauricio Pochettino's side.

The bitter rivals meet at the Emirates next weekend having suffered defeats to Liverpool and Newcastle respectively last weekend. The last north London derby ended 1-1 at Wembley in March.

Bury are now almost certain to be expelled from the Football League after a takeover by C&N Sporting Risk fell through, just 90 minutes before a league-set deadline for the deal to be completed.

Spurs face North London rivals Arsenal at the weekend in dire need of three points having taken just four from their opening three games of the season.

If England could have chosen an Australian cricketer to make the fatal fumble that may just have handed them the Ashes then the name of Nathan Lyon would have been on many lips.

The mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson says he will oppose moves by Liverpool Football club to trademark the city's name. The European champions came under criticism earlier this summer.

MAX WINTERS AT THE CITY GROUND: Albert Adomah opened the scoring for the home side in the 25th minute before Joe Lolley added a second just 10 minutes later. Joao Carvalho added a third.

Grimsby Town's Carabao Cup clash against Macclesfield was called off just before half-time due a torrential storm. A replay of the second-round tie will have to be rescheduled.

JASON GILLESPIE: It is very hard to avoid the conclusion we are now in for one of the classic Ashes series, maybe even up there with 2005 in terms of excitement and drama. It's fantastic.

Jonathan Goldstein, chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council, said the 'problem is not only Corbyn but also Corbynism and Corbynites, and these remain strong in the party'.

Speaking of a 'profound volatility' in UK politics over the last 12 months, the former Labour leader slammed the current one following his party's disastrous general election performance.

The outgoing leader used his New Year message to rail against billionaires and champion the 'movement' he built, but failed to address his party's cataclysmic election UK election defeat.

The display in London, broadcast by the BBC, kicked off with the roar of football anthems but some claimed they could hear Jeremy Corbyn's name being chanted.

The centrist shadow Brexit secretary would beat Rebecca Long Bailey by 61 per cent to 39 per cent in a run-off for the UK Labour party leadership, according to the YouGov survey.